Chapter 24: The Hero Is Dead?

"This is unjust! You actually murdered those people in broad daylight..."

In the depths of the hall late at night, the argument raged on as it always did. Lian frowned, looking at the clamor below with a touch of impatience. To be precise, he was watching Lari berate Damon. The massacre that had taken place during the day had thoroughly infuriated the "law-abiding Lari." She lashed out, accusing the other of acting recklessly and trampling upon the law.

Damon, however, merely watched her in silence, no longer interested in arguing. A man who has already made up his mind needs no validation from outsiders, especially not from those aristocrats living in the clouds. You and I are not of the same world; is mutual understanding even meaningful?

This time, there was no shouting match, only cold silence and indignation—a complete opposition unlike any previous encounters. I do not need you to understand me, and please, do not attempt to. But if you intend to stand in my way, then you, too, will become my enemy. In Damon’s lowered eyes, there was already the resolve to be stained with blood once more.

"Enough."

The man waving his hand from above was growing impatient. "Bone-Crusher, the things she mentioned—you did them, didn't you? Have you reached your resolve?" Lian, standing on the dais, already knew the answer.

"Yes..." Damon looked up, his expression calm. His hands were already covered in blood; there was no need to deny it, nor to explain it. If he killed, he killed. Just as Lari said, in this single day, he had lost count of how many of the Kingdom’s laws he had broken.

Giving up the inheritance of the Heroic Soul was indeed a pity... but since it was never mine to begin with, there is nothing more to say. Compared to personal ascension or becoming some epic hero, rolling in the mud suits me better. I am already satisfied; I have seized this opportunity, and perhaps this time, I can truly change my hometown. Even though there was still a lingering regret, Damon could face it with equanimity.

"Good." Lian (Sul) closed his eyes, having reached his own decision. "Then, this dream selection will be the final choice of Sul Daon. I will conclude the selection."

Once these words were spoken, everyone was stunned. But from Lian’s perspective, since the outcome had already been decided, there was no need to hesitate. With the final battle approaching, both he and his successor needed the most tangible power available. Completing the inheritance ritual would grant that power, and the Heroic Soul card only had six days of usability left anyway; dragging it out served little purpose.

"Wait! Wait! What do you mean by this?!"

The others weren't the ones in a hurry—the third party, the Dragon Hunter, was immediately frantic! I’ve been sending equipment and planning to secretly interfere in aristocratic circles, and you’re just ending it like this? Clearly, she had realized that if it ended here, she would definitely not be the successor. Give me at least two days; I haven't even had the chance to deploy the honey trap to seduce the examiner!

Lian ignored her entirely. You never had a chance from the start, did you? His gaze swept over the other candidates.

"Shadow-Slicer" Talia showed regret, but not much resentment; she had never thought she would be chosen from the beginning. Now that Damon had withdrawn, Lari, the only successor in the eyes of the other candidates, felt a wave of joy, followed immediately by overwhelming trepidation. Am I truly worthy? Did I win only because others were disqualified? Only because I was lucky enough that no more suitable candidate existed?

"You, you are unfair! Why let a Paladin participate in the inheritance of a Paladin’s Heroic Soul? Wasn't this just forcing me to be a sidekick from the start... wuwuwu."

The most resentful girl cried as she gradually faded away. As she left, she muttered words of defiance—"I won't lose next time!" or "I'll be back"—the epitome of a stubborn spirit. But, aside from a worried-looking Talia, no one paid her any mind.

"You jerk!! You old fool!"

Sure enough, a few seconds later, the little girl reconnected. After hopping back into the hall, she glared fiercely at Sul, as if angry that he hadn't comforted her. Lian smiled slightly; he had always been tolerant of those who failed the selection. He summoned the barbecue set again and invited the little girl to join him.

"Eat, I’ll eat you into poverty." The indignant girl actually knew that she never had a chance at this inheritance. The things that the foolishly righteous Sul was looking for were too incompatible with her from the very beginning. She only hoped that the records were real; once the Hall of Heroic Souls opened, there would be another chance, and as someone who had been rejected before, she could re-enter as a candidate.

The big one and the little one started eating again, like spectators watching a show.

The three candidates below who were directly involved in the "Tail-Cutting" case were not so relaxed. Since the number of dream communications was exhausted, they had to finalize how to handle the case and establish offline contact.

"This is Mr. Lian’s plan for the next steps..." Damon slowly laid out the plan; to eradicate the "Tail-Cutters," he needed the help of the other candidates present. Damon had already learned the organizational structure of the slave market through various channels and knew exactly where to strike to cause the most pain. If everything went as planned, he would personally pay a visit tomorrow morning and become an outsider within their peripheral forces.

"Eugene Fordy, the nominal third-in-command of the slave market, and also the head of financial management... He is actually the most important manager of the slave market. If he dies, it will cause chaos for a long time. Many leads that only he knows will be broken, and business will drop by at least twenty percent."

"'Black Gold' Eugene? He seems to be a fairly powerful transcendent himself, and he always has two strong guards with him, right?"

Eliminating a high-level official of an organization and framing it on the "Tail-Cutters" to stir up infighting was a classic tactic. Plans and schemes are often simple; whether they work depends on the details and execution.

"How do we get him to come out? We can't just try to break in and assassinate him... that's too difficult."

The slave market was opulent, and there was no shortage of troublemakers. With hundreds of thugs, if they were attacked by a strong enemy, they could summon masked experts at any time. The high-ranking church officials and great nobles of this city were also somewhat image-conscious, so they often came wearing masks. The slave market was merely a product of entangling interests; without removing the things behind them, it was impossible to eradicate it completely.

"Lure him out. He is very greedy..." This was something all the gangs knew. If you offended someone in the slave market, you could solve the problem by sending money directly to "Black Gold."

"Oh, private off-the-books transactions." The Dragon Hunter understood instantly. The slave market didn't just sell slaves; they sold many things others dared not touch. Most straightforwardly, various prohibited items... such as things related to evil gods, or those "transcendent materials" sourced from human bodies. Under normal circumstances, goods went through official ledgers, but there were always some items that couldn't be made public, or were so precious they were priceless. If a commodity was rare enough, it might never even hit the books, instead being secretly swallowed by high-level officials... such things could naturally not be let known to the slave market, so they often came out personally to conduct clandestine trades.

But standing in that position, what treasures hadn't he seen? What could possibly make him abandon his principles and swallow something without hesitation?

"The trap for catching a bear uses honey, the bait for a winter wolf is greasy frozen bones—what could make that black-hearted man, who has seen countless secret treasures, abandon his caution and vigilance?"

The Dragon Hunter put down her meat skewer, thinking hard through all the secrets and knowledge she had encountered. "A rare Lich’s secret medicine? A map of the underworld? A dragon-slaying weapon that the royal family has been buying up? A genetic tree blueprint and formula targeting dragons..."

What could make him come out to secretly swallow it, and what could the candidates possibly produce? This was contradictory because Eugene was both greedy and cautious, and even if that hidden examiner Lian was involved, Damon shouldn't have any bargaining chips... Wait, that examiner Lian, didn't the data say he was a degenerate species?!

"I get it! It’s his own degradation materials... He, that knight, is really willing to give that up."

What’s what? How did you jump to that conclusion? Who is that knight? Don't tell me you're talking about me, Lian.

Seeing "Sul" also show a look of surprise, the Dragon Hunter felt a bit smug.

"What he brought out must be 'Warrior's Bone' and 'Hero's Tear'..."

Beast-kin species evolution often requires the use of magic potions and transcendent materials, stepping up step-by-step into stronger species grades, or even becoming mythical beasts. And those peak species, if they were severely wounded and didn't die, or if their evolution failed leading to degradation disease, they would naturally fall into the abyss. In this process, some of their transcendent power would condense into matter... to be precise, transcendent materials very suitable for their own kind to use.

"For some reason, a degenerate species cannot use the materials from their own body, but those on the same path or of the same species can..."

This was the most valuable transcendent material, a refined semi-finished product. It could be used as a top-tier finished magic potion to achieve evolution, or to compensate for fundamental flaws; it could be called a leap to the heavens.

"And if the degenerate species is powerful enough, it can also exude high-quality 'Pure Bone Blood,' which is a life crystal that can be absorbed by all races... That is a true, priceless treasure. If it appears, people will go crazy for it. It can enhance the foundation of your body and soul without any side effects." This demand was endless, but production depended on luck.

The Dragon Hunter explained this to the other confused candidates, but in reality, she had no idea it was Lian himself. The "bait" he had originally planned to bring out was intended to lure the wealthy Dragon Hunter into providing it voluntarily. If that failed, he would use the shady "Hero's Sword" as bait, which would be a life-or-death gamble.

"Brilliant, this is truly the best bait. Once such a treasure appears, Eugene might secretly come to receive it, and once he gets it, he will use it immediately... If it is snatched by the tail-cutting serial killer at that moment, those people in the slave market will go insane."

"The best part is that this treasure is a consumable; if it drags on, it will be gone. To avoid it being used by the tail-cutting murderer, they will be frantic."

They wouldn't give the thief time to digest the "Bone Blood," and naturally, they wouldn't have the time or energy to thoroughly investigate the case. In the name of avenging Eugene, they would surely go all out and search the entire city for the tail-cutter.

"I wonder what grade that 'Heroic Bone Blood' will be..." The Dragon Hunter looked at Damon with anticipation. Even with the limitations of the current environment, her spies had let her know about the cooperation between Damon and Lian. And her current attitude was clearly in support of taking down the slave market.

"I don't know, he didn't tell me to that extent..." Damon was also a bit confused.

But the reality was, Lian was also panicking. Where would he get any "degradation materials" or "Heroic Bone Blood"? He was a fake degenerate species to begin with! But having set things up this way, he couldn't very well hint for the Dragon Hunter to provide the supplies...

The small interlude passed, and after finishing his plan, Damon stated his requirements. If it were just him and Lian, completing this mission would be too difficult; just to assassinate Eugene, he needed stronger combat support.

"I will participate. Just tell me the plan," Talia stated directly, saying she was willing to join; the tail-cutting case was her responsibility anyway.

"I can't, I can't come over at all... but I should be able to help you in some aspects." The high-born Dragon Hunter was also willing to participate.

"This is murder. This is a crime." Gritting her teeth, Lari ultimately refused. "If possible, I hope we can plan this properly. I can go back to the Church and ask them to dispatch a knight order to help investigate." It sounded good and sincere, but it was meaningless. If they had wanted to manage it, they would have done so long ago, and they lacked the resources and ability to do so anyway.

Enough had been said; the specific planning would have to wait for offline. Lian continued to barbecue happily, seemingly indifferent to the scenery before him. But he sighed quietly; although the development was within reason, it was still disappointing. Opening his interface, he saw that his satisfaction rating for Lari had dropped significantly.

Lian had lied again; the examination hadn't actually ended. The tests that truly revealed the truth were often those before the exam, or even those the candidates thought were after the exam.

"Heh." Lian didn't care, but Miss Dragon Hunter, who was sitting in front of him, sneered at Lari. Everyone else thought Lari would be the successful candidate, but she, who knew about the collusion between the examiner Lian and Damon, how could she be fooled? As for the legal authority to protect slave traders? Standing from her perspective, the Kingdom was falling apart; was this the time to talk about laws and procedures? She wished those bastards who made her country’s people suffer would all just die.

"You're really bad, you know..."

"Just eat your food." A large piece of grilled meat was shoved into her hand. "Sul" seemed to remain indifferent to everything. He was still struggling with a headache: where was he going to get those "degradation materials"? Should he just have Damon bluff? No, it would be too easy to expose; he needed a temptation that would make the target lose their mind, preferably a sample of the genuine article...

Time flew by, one figure after another disappeared, leaving only Lian slowly grilling meat... and taking out a tissue to wipe the grease off his face that the Dragon Hunter had smeared on him.

"This little girl..." Thinking of the girl who had added, "I might not come tomorrow, don't forget me, and I won't forget you," Lian sighed. He felt a rare touch of guilt for the deception.

As he prepared to shatter everything and declare the long dream over, he noticed someone had linked to him again.

"I told you, I’m not opening a back door here..."

He had thought it was the little girl again, but he saw an uneasy Lari. The tall female knight took a deep breath, walked over slowly, her eyes full of determination.

"Mr. Sul, please... do not give the inheritance to me." She didn't hesitate and stated the goal of her visit directly. The sudden words surprised Lian.

"I... I’m not saying there’s anything wrong, it’s just..."

The woman shook her head, recalling everything she had seen and heard over the past few days, remembering the injured Paladin senior who rolled in the mud with the children.

"...I am not worthy. I really am not." Her sincere words were not an expression of low self-esteem or false modesty, but a fact she recognized from the bottom of her heart. "I lack the courage. I know what true justice is, but I cannot overcome my own limitations."

"I envy Mr. Lian’s freedom; he completely ignores the evaluations of others and the limitations of the law, simply executing the justice within his heart... but I cannot. Sometimes I don't even know if the justice I uphold is truly justice..."

As she spoke, the female knight revealed the helplessness of someone reflecting on an unbearable past. "Sometimes, I even envy that jerk Bone-Crusher; at least he knows what he wants... All I can do now is stick to my bottom line and execute the justice written in the manuals and codes by the standards of a Paladin."

The female knight braced herself and knelt on one knee in a knight's salute. "I don't know if this is correct, but it shouldn't be completely wrong. In the days to come, I will continue to search for my own justice..."

Her handsome face was filled with seriousness and sincerity. "...Lost as I am, still searching for justice, I am not worthy of holding your inheritance. Please give it to someone more suitable."

"Then, to whom should I give it?" Lian asked directly.

Lari panicked immediately. She thought of a certain senior, but the next moment she could only shake her head.

"The Dragon Hunter is of high status, and Miss Shadow-Slicer executes justice without hesitation; both could be candidates... And, I know of a senior who was injured and became a degenerate species, but he is very suitable for your inheritance."

Lian shook his head, not intending to respond. With a snap of his fingers, the dream hall began to collapse.

"My Lord!!" Lari woke up from the dream with a start, only to find that everything had come to an end; there was no response to further connection attempts.

As for Lian, he was truly in a hurry. Just after linking to the Codex and using his Dragon Eyes to verify the truth of her words, he saw some sudden notifications flooding his screen.

[Owned item, untamed slave, taming completely failed.]

[The item is undergoing decomposition and recycling...]

[Decomposition successful. Please recover your Starter Gift Pack as soon as possible!!]

An untamed slave?! Lian was stunned for a moment, then jumped off his bed. He rushed into the bathroom, opened a portal, and stepped into the passage. This time, although the passage was still hot, it was merely lukewarm. He walked quickly, his heart burning with anxiety.

"Hero Lena, you couldn't have just disappeared like that..." Yes, the only untamed slave in the Codex was Hero Lena, wasn't it?

At the end of the passage, he saw his target. Lying amidst some debris was a slender figure. He walked closer and realized that she had changed so much that she could no longer be restrained by chains. Lying on the ground was merely a fragile girl; her once brilliant golden hair had turned into lusterless silver, and those arms that could crush a skull had become delicate little hands.

Lian walked over quickly; fortunately, she was still breathing.

Wait, how is she awake? If she wakes up, will it be my turn to suffer?

The Hero opened her eyes, and her blood-red pupils looked over silently. Lian felt the breath of death. What did he see? He saw a round ear!

[It is said that a degenerate species’ ears will continuously shrink, eventually retreating back into a semi-circular arc!]

At that moment, Lian remembered what the little policewoman had said when they first met. Lena is a degenerate species? No, was she in the process of degrading earlier?

[By the way, isn't degradation very painful and accompanied by a fever? Why can Brother Lian walk outside? Is it not uncomfortable? Or are you just holding on?] Back on the street, the little policewoman had been surprised at why Lian was in such good condition.

So, the deadly magma-like temperature in the passage over the last two days was Hero Lena running a fever?!

Amazing, Officer Lisa with the round face, you are truly a genius of prophetic spoilers.

If the Hero has degraded, will I not be killed by a single strike?

At this moment, looking at the girl who had devolved in age to only fifteen or sixteen, Lian was at a loss. Previously, she was an untamed beast, but now before him was only a fragile young girl. She had a childish face, her silver hair and red eyes were full of confusion, and her entire aura was ethereal, like glass that could shatter at any moment.

When she spoke, it left Lian completely stunned.

"Who are you?"

Her red eyes were filled with confusion, and her small finger pointed at herself.

"Who am I?"